Even in Death
by SummerRed
Summary: When the Doctor feels Rose Tyler's death in an alternative universe, he decides it's time for his final goodbye. However, there's a suprise waiting for him, one bearing an incredible promise...


Disclaimer: Don't own Doctor Who, probably never will.

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><p>The Doctor felt the exact moment Rose Tyler died. He didn't know where, why or how; he didn't even know when it was in her life.<p>

But in his heart of hearts-the one on the left, his most human one that he always associated with Rose, although both belonged to her if he was completely honest-he knew she was gone. Forever.

That day he saw her everywhere. He saw her in the girl whose golden hair glinted in the sunlight, like Rose's. He saw her in the woman who served him, Amy and Rory in the café with big brown eyes, like Rose's. Worst of all he saw her in his memories, replaying every second they ever spent together in his mind, trying to retain the image of a vibrant, happy Rose so as not to dwell on thoughts of a gravestone bearing her name.

The next day he travelled to a cemetery, way out in the countryside. It was the most beautiful place, he thought, a perfect spot for Rose. When she had been trapped, after the heartbreak that was Bad Wolf Bay, the Doctor had a grave created for her and Jackie. Of course it was empty, but he treated this as Rose's final resting place. It was all he had.

He'd dropped Amy and Rory off in the nearest village with a promise to pick them up in an hour or two. Both knew something was wrong with the Doctor though neither dared to ask. Amy didn't think she could bear looking into his eyes while he explained; they were filled with endless sadness, pain and grief mixing together in his deep green eyes. Instead she left him to do whatever it was he was up to. Whatever was upsetting him was obviously a private thing.

The Doctor walked slowly out of the TARDIS, a single rose in his hand. This would be his final farewell to Rose Tyler.

He knelt at her grave, hating that in another universe her body was actually beneath the cold, hard Earth. His hearts twisted in pain.

"Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth," he whispered, his breath catching in his throat as he tried to decide what else to say.

"My Doctor," her voice replied softly. He laughed somewhat hysterically.

"Is this a hallucination?" he asked, staring resolutely at the rose he'd placed on the ground.

"Would you be believe me if I said no?"

He could tell she was smiling.

"Yes. I'd believe anything you told me."

He turned to face her, confident that she was there; he knew she would never lie to him.

An ethereal Rose Tyler stood before him. She looked exactly the same as she did the last time he saw her, although there was an odd golden glow around her, like when she became the Bad Wolf. It only made it harder for the Doctor to look at her; she was so beautiful it hurt.

"You're dead," he breathed.

"I know," she said simply.

"Are you a…ghost?" he asked sceptically. "No, no; you're an angel definitely. Rose Tyler, Messenger from Heaven."  
>She giggled and he felt himself join in, trying to ignore the tears falling from both of their eyes.<p>

"I was given-I have one last chance to see you from…wherever I am. And I have to tell you something."

"Aha! So you _are_ a messenger!"

She smiled and said, "I have to tell you…" She hesitated.

He reached for her hand but she said sadly, "I'm only a shadow of myself. No touch."

"Still just an image," the Doctor murmured to himself. She nodded tearfully before taking a deep breath.

"I have to tell you that we'll have our forever, Doctor. We've been promised it."

"When?"

"Someday."

"You can't be more specific?"

"Nope."

"Promised by whom?"

"Can't say."

The Doctor growled in frustration. Rose closed her eyes.

"I miss you," she whispered.

"I miss you, too."

"And I love you."

"I love you more."

A voice in his head whispered, _domestic_. He ignored it.

"Impossible," she laughed.

"I have nine hundred years of love all built up for you, you have twenty!"

"Thirty. I was thirty," she said quietly.

"So young?"

"I wasn't well. Hadn't been for a long time."

He forced himself to ask, "Children?"

She shook her head. "You-he died. A year after you left. A Time Lord brain and a human heart were never supposed to mix. There was never anyone else."

"Rose, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I'm here now and that's all that matters."

"But you're not. I need you here with me and you're not," he said, furious and devastated at the same time

"We'll be together again, Doctor. This time it will last forever."

She was gone.

Two hundred and thirty six years passed, seeing the Doctor in his fourteenth regeneration. He was finally ginger, tall and lean with twinkling blue eyes. He could feel that it was his end; the Oncoming Storm had finally passed. He hoped that today was someday.

He heard the shot, felt the pain. But instead of the heat that he associated with regeneration engulfing him he felt cold spreading through his body. He was dying a human death.

A small hand took his, one that still fit his perfectly five regenerations later.

"Doctor," a voice whispered in his ear. "This is our forever. Time to wake up."

"Hello," he said with a smile, opening his eyes to see Rose, his Rose, kneeling beside him.

"Hello," she said softly.

He sat up and kissed her, silently thanking whoever it was that gave them this forever, that allowed him to touch her, feel her hair brushing his face, kiss her like he should have all those centuries ago.

"Now," he said, standing and pulling her up with him. "What shall we do?"

"Well we could always-"

"Watch out!" he shouted, pushing her behind him.

"Doctor," she said, laughing at him. "No aliens here, there are no worlds to save either. You'll be bored soon enough."

"How will I survive?" he asked jokingly, running a hand down her cheek as he turned to face her.

"You've got me."

"True…"

She hit him lightly on the arm. "You sound so happy about it."

"I love you," he said softly, hugging her to his chest.

"I love you, Doctor."

"Right then, I know what we can do," he said suddenly, taking her hand again.

"What?"

"RUN!"


End file.
